Difficulties
by reraimu
Summary: Reborn was a difficult person to fall in love with, Tsuna realized. R27. infant!Reborn/Tsuna. Yaoi.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: Reborn was a difficult person to fall in love with, Tsuna realized. R27. infant!Reborn/Tsuna. Yaoi.**

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Tsuna wondered when it happened.

He couldn't possibly fathom why it happened; because really, it was an anomaly that he really didn't want to divulge in. He didn't feel like dissecting each rampant emotion and thought that flitted past his brain, he didn't feel like even thinking about it actually, but the thoughts were always there, always lingering in the recesses of his mind until they happened to randomly pop out at him and render him speechless.

He was in love with Reborn.

Sometimes Tsuna wanted to vomit at the thought of even having affections for the infant Arcobaleno, and sometimes it made him feel light and sugary and his insides would be filled with molasses instead of butterflies. Not to mention that the whole notion was **wrong, wrong, wrong**. Tsuna tried to reason with himself, because even though Reborn wasn't exactly an infant and happened to be years older than him in his true form, he couldn't help but feel like a complete pedo.

'_Reborn's a man, Reborn's a man,_' he would tell himself. '_It's okay, it's perfectly fine_."

But really, it wasn't, because you see, Reborn was a rather difficult person to fall in love with.

The hitman was impossible to decipher, and Tsuna had tried, and failed, many times attempting to decode what the other was thinking. Reborn's facial expressions never gave anything away—ever. The Arcobaleno always had that same inexplicable smile on his face, the same rosy cheeks, as if he knew more than what he was letting on, and Tsuna found it absolutely frustrating!

What went on in that head of his? What was Tsuna supposed to think when Reborn's charcoal eyes glittered something ominous? That was just it: Tsuna didn't know, and he was starting to think that he would never know.

Reborn wasn't a very sympathetic person, and that was something the young Vongola boss still couldn't get a wrap on. As a tutor, Reborn rarely bestowed words of encouragement and praise towards Tsuna, replacing them with kicks to the stomach, scathing insults, and the occasional depraved game that spelled out impending death. Tsuna could understand that most hitmen were carefully detached from their emotions, a necessity considering their job, but Tsuna was never very partial to Reborn's almost blasé personality. Sure, anybody could insist that this was just Reborn's method at teaching, a method that ultimately paid off despite how cruel his practices could be. No matter how true it was Tsuna couldn't wrap his mind around such a thought process.

Would it hurt Reborn if he showed at least some emotion besides detachment and superiority? Couldn't Reborn open up enough to actually bond with his student instead of beating the shit out of him all the time? Couldn't they at least be **friends** instead of grueling tutor and No-Good student?

A kick to the head was all Tsuna's answer. He immediately sat up in his bed and let out a shriek, nursing his throbbing forehead while he rocked back and forth atop his mattress. With tears streaming from his eyes, he quickly jerked his head towards the hitman's direction and shot the Arcobaleno a pitiful glower.

"R-reborn! Was that completely necessary? Ow, ow, owwww," Tsuna hissed, shutting his eyes in hopes that the action would miraculously quell the pain.

It didn't. Go figure.

"You deserved it," the infant quipped, crossing his tiny legs. The hitman leaned back against Tsuna's swivel chair, clasping his hands in his lap. Tsuna wanted to march over there and smack the seemingly remote smile on Reborn's face, and maybe even knock off his hat for good measure, but of course…they were all pipe dreams. If Tsuna had really done that, Reborn would have put a bullet through his head before he even took the first step. Tsuna squeaked in fear at the thought.

With a shaky sigh, the teen swung his legs over the edge of his bed and promptly stood up, frowning as he passed Reborn by. The Arcobaleno didn't seem to pay attention to Tsuna's presence, merely stroking a finger across Leon's backside. Tsuna strode over to a small mirror perched on his drawer and leaned down in front of it, threading his fingers through the chestnut strands of his hair and brushing his bangs aside to reveal a sizeable bruise already mottled purple and blue.

"At least it wasn't a shiner this time," he mumbled to himself, drawing his hand away. The jagged ends of his bangs quickly covered the offending mark.

"What was that?" Reborn chirped. Tsuna stilled and slowly turned around, a counterfeit smile spreading across his lips.

"N-nothing, nothing!" he assured. Even he could smell his own lies. "So, uhhh, what's the occasion?"

Reborn slightly tilted his head and smiled. "Training is never an occasion, Dame-Tsuna, it's a necessity."

'_It always is_,' Tsuna thought dejectedly, subconsciously letting out a sigh. Reborn raised a brow at that.

"You were daydreaming," Reborn observed, raising his arm as Leon scuttled from his perch atop the hitman's hat and trailed across the infant's proffered arm.

"No I wasn't!" Tsuna protested, turning round to meet Reborn's gaze head-on.

"You were daydreaming," Reborn repeated, this time more firmly.

"That's what teenagers usually do, they space out—HIIIEEE!" Tsuna was instantly silenced when Leon transformed into Reborn's handy-dandy pistol, a resounding click sounding across the room. Chocolate eyes wide and quivering, the teen immediately sunk to the ground and went on his knees, bowing low repeatedly.

"Okay, okay, I get it, put the gun away!" Tsuna whimpered frantically, shrieking when Reborn pulled the trigger. The bullet nearly grazed Tsuna's knee.

"This will not be repeated," Reborn chirped, Leon transforming back into his original state. The little chameleon flicked its tongue (oh, and how Tsuna wanted to stick his tongue right back at him) and crawled its way back up the Arcobaleno's arm, eventually curling against the brim of the hitman's hat. Reborn hopped down from Tsuna's drawer, landing gracefully on the carpet, and with a twirl of his finger, he trotted towards Tsuna's door and stepped out into the hall.

"By the way, I ate your breakfast."

Tsuna groaned at the loss.

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Tsuna stuck his hands into his sweater pockets, the chilly wind nipping at his fingertips. The plaid, brown scarf that was currently wrapped around his neck was tucked neat and sound beneath his sweater, warming his chest and the base of his throat.

Unsurprisingly, Tsuna had come downstairs to chaos. Lambo was busy finger-painting on the kitchen table, with leftover food no less, and I-Pin was egging him on, occasionally adding in her own tiny handprint. He had no idea where his mother was. The icing on the cake was an oblivious Haru, who was busy whistling while washing the dishes, and even now Tsuna had no idea what the heck she had been doing in his mother's apron tending to **their** dishes, many which were now broken. How did she even get into his house anyway? He hadn't invited her over…Deciding that he'd rather not stick around to find out who else would show up, Tsuna immediately ran back upstairs and changed into suitable clothing. Thankfully, Reborn hadn't been around, allowing him ample time to sneak out of the house before anybody could confront him.

Tsuna shrugged his shoulders, grimacing when a rather nasty blast of wind hit him full force. The sky was downcast and muggy, murky storm clouds swiveling about in the sky. He was sure his nose and cheeks were red by now; they always tend to do that when it was especially cold outside, but it was to be expected during the holiday season.

A rumble sounded from below him, and with a flushed face, he looked down at his stomach. He hadn't eaten any breakfast, he had Reborn to thank for that, and his poor tummy was practically begging for some nourishment. He could always wander over to that café around the corner and order a specialty sandwich or something, enough to sate him over until he could return to his house, which he hoped would be chaos-free by that time. Nodding his head, Tsuna took off towards his desired route and broke into a brisk walk. The faster he got there, the less chance there was at spotting someone he knew along the way, A.K.A the rest of his famiglia. Not that he didn't want to be around them, believe him, he loved every single one of his guardians, enough that he would risk his life for them, but sometimes…they could be a bit grueling. Besides, he was allowed time to himself, right?

Right?

Tsuna's eyes lit with happiness when he spotted the café marquee just a little ways ahead of him. It was a modern café, a cosmopolitan themed eatery with sleek, square couches and abstract paintings littering the coffee-hued walls. When Tsuna opened the door, he was immediately jostled by the smell of coffee, a welcoming scent that warmed him up inside.

"Welcome!"

Tsuna flushed and waved awkwardly at the cashier, never having gotten used to retail greetings. He would always think up of things to say in return, something witty to strike up casual conversation, but when the time came he would eventually choke on his words and awkwardly wave or smile. He was no good, after all.

"What would you like today?" the cashier smiled, leaning over the counter. Tsuna stuttered and bit at his lip, turning his gaze to meet the cashier.

He choked.

The cashier was…a pretty cute guy. The employee had obviously dyed his hair a very light hazel, so light that it almost looked blond and hung jagged and layered about his face. His features were sharp and smooth, brown eyes pleasant and amiable. How was Tsuna going to keep himself together while ordering his food? He wasn't very good at these things…

"Umm, uhh. I don't r-really know, um," Tsuna stuttered, his cheeks flushing pink. Way to go.

"Hah, relax, the menu's up there, take all the time you need," the cashier winked, crossing his arms. Tsuna slowly stepped up to the counter and scanned the menu hanging above, his fingers aimlessly tapping along the countertop. He mentally began listing off all the sandwich choices he could choose from, hoping it would distract him from the very handsome guy standing just a few inches away.

"I'll go with the meatball one," Tsuna blurted. He mentally groaned.

"Ah, the Italian Sub, I like that one," the cashier grinned. The employee punched in a few buttons on the touch screen cash register and Tsuna's total rang up on the small screen attached to the register. Scrounging for the money in his pockets, Tsuna wrung out the needed amount of coins and handed it over, flushing when his palm accidentally brushed against the man's fingers.

"It should take about five minutes to prepare," the cashier chirped, brushing a strand of hair away from his face.

"O-oh, cool," Tsuna replied lamely.

"Do you live around here?" the man suddenly asked, tilting his head.

"Uhm, y-yes," Tsuna whispered, absentmindedly tugging at his scarf.

"Is this your first time—?"

"**Dame-Tsuna**."

"Ack!" Tsuna sputtered, immediately whipping around at the sudden interruption. He looked down in dread and nearly leapt over the counter. Reborn was standing smugly in front of him, donning a ridiculous cherry red scarf, the only article of clothing different from his customary attire. "R-reborn?"

"Oh, a kid. Hey there little guy," the cashier laughed, wriggling his fingers at Reborn. He looked at Tsuna. "Is he your brother?"

"I'm his son," Reborn replied curtly, and quickly trotted off towards the plush couches lining the windows towards the back of the shop.

"Hiiiieee! N-no, no, that isn't—no!" Tsuna stammered, anchoring his gaze on the cashier with shock. The man only smiled amusedly back at him, one thin brow raised.

"Your son?" he asked, his eyes glittering. The guy leaned forward, pressing the palm of his hand underneath his chin. "That's pretty cute."

Tsuna nearly died of mortification. Tsuna's mouth popped open and closed like a gaping fish, his finger shakily pointing towards the direction where Reborn sat lounging against a long-set couch. "I'm…I'm just gonna go now…over there…bye."

With red sprinkling across his face, Tsuna nearly tripped on his way towards the back of the shop, halting directly in front of Reborn who was casually leaning against a throw pillow.

"You didn't buy me anything to eat," Reborn quipped, tilting the brim of his hat over his eyes.

Tsuna's face reddened even more. Reborn had just waltzed in here and practically humiliated him in front of a very attractive guy, and the infant had the nerve to ask about food? Tsuna felt like swiping the pillow from underneath Reborn. "I…I wouldn't even know what you would want!"

Reborn shifted his hat, charcoal eyes nearly stabbing into him. "You should know by now, Baka-Tsuna."

"I- !" Tsuna started, but his voice immediately tapered away. He stood aloft for a moment, furrowing his brow as he thought the statement over and over, practically engraving it into his brain. He didn't know, he didn't know…why didn't he know? Reborn knew practically everything concerning Tsuna, from his failing grades to his social ineptness. The hitman knew him inside out, had practically integrated with the teen's trivial lifestyle; he lived with Tsuna for crying out loud! The Arcobaleno ate with him everyday, went to sleep in his room every night, probably heard Tsuna sleep-talk and spew his deepest, darkest secrets while slumbering away, and yet…

Tsuna knew only a handful of things about Reborn. He knew that Reborn was an esteemed hitman of the Vongola, the definitive weapon in the underground Mafia world, and he also knew that he had a curse placed on him and other basic information that was pivotal, but also not hard to come by with the proper snooping. Oh yeah, and that he liked espresso. It was only face-value information, facts that Tsuna could learn from just about anyone if he only inquired hard enough.

No, what Tsuna didn't know, he would probably never learn. He didn't know Reborn's habits or personality, he didn't even know if Reborn was serious half the time. He never laughed and joked around with the hitman like he did with Gokudera or Dino, he didn't bond or spend any sort of time with his tutor besides training and playing dangerous games. Tsuna didn't know Reborn's favorite color, or what he liked to do during his free time. He didn't know if Reborn had likes or dislikes, or if he enjoyed sports just as much as Yamamoto did. Tsuna didn't know Reborn as a friend should- were they even friends anyway? As the teen thought more and more about the matter, his brain swelling with beliefs he couldn't get a handle on, he realized with growing dread that no, he didn't actually **know** Reborn.

Reborn must have noticed the crestfallen look contorting Tsuna's countenance, or the way the teen's shoulders seemed to sag and his eyes seemed to droop.

"What?" Reborn questioned, plucking Leon from his hat. Tsuna watched the movement, but didn't do anything to retaliate. He just stood there, staring down at the Arcobaleno with the most disillusioned expression on his face.

"N-no. No, I don't know," Tsuna breathed, and his heart might have shattered.

Slowly, so painstakingly slow, Tsuna turned around and shuffled towards the cashier counter, plucking his already made sandwich from the tray it was on. He gestured to the cashier for a bag, and the employee only gave him a concerned look before passing the bag over the counter. Wrapping his sandwich up, Tsuna turned around and exited the shop, not once looking behind him.

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**A/N: Not done yet. Sorry for the angst at the end. :O**


	2. Chapter 2

Tsuna absentmindedly nibbled at his sandwich.

He was sitting at a bus stop, sandwich in hand, and he was alone. An hour had passed since he had stormed out of that coffee shop, and he wondered why he was still eating his sandwich. He wasn't that much of a slow eater was he?

Tsuna sniffled, the wind ruffling through his hair and biting at his face. He had a good excuse to eat slowly, even if he didn't quite know what the excuse actually was. He hadn't had time to think about his impulsive actions, but he did know one thing: Reborn would be pissed at him.

"Just great," he mumbled to himself, taking one last bite of the sandwich. Chewing and swallowing the last bit of morsel, Tsuna quickly licked at his fingers and ran them down the sides of his pants, crumpling up the sandwich wrapper and throwing it in a trash bin beside him. He instantaneously let out a burp, his face flushing in embarrassment. He hoped no one heard that…

Breathing slowly through his nose, Tsuna stared ahead of him, occasionally glimpsing at a random passerby or trailing his eyes over a passing car. Everything looked normal enough; that girl walking out of that photo store seemed normal, that man walking his dog seemed mundane enough, and Tsuna realized that he was no longer like them- he would never be normal. Being the 10th Vongola Don of a famed Mafia family left no room for triviality.

Not to say he was complaining, anything but. He had plenty of time to whine and complain and curse the ground he walked upon, but all those previous thoughts were in the past, and believe it or not, Tsuna had done some growing up. No matter how uncomfortable it was for him, Tsuna wouldn't change how things were. He had met so many wonderful people, people that had integrated with his life and remained there, merging with him until he felt that they were apart of his immediate family instead of estranged friends. He would fight and protect Kyoko, Haru and I-Pin, along with the rest of his guardians, his famiglia, and he would continue to hide all the nasty bits from his ever-oblivious mother until he could do it no longer. It was a stressing task, but he had gone through much worse. Having just gotten back from the future, Tsuna realized that yes, it could be much, much worse.

A vibration in his left sweater pocket broke him out of his thoughts. Tsuna quickly fished for his phone and flipped it open, frowning down at the restricted message scrawled across the screen. He always hated answering restricted phone calls. Pressing the call button, Tsuna pressed the device to his ear and hastily blurted, "Hello?"

"_Dame-Tsuna."_

Tsuna squeaked and flipped the phone shut, effectively ending the call. He stuffed the phone back into his pocket and slumped back into the bench seat, habitually biting at his lip as his leg jittered below him. He ran a hand through his hair, his fingers tugging at the flyaway strands, the pads of his fingers roughly scraping at his scalp. He shouldn't have done that, he really shouldn't have done that: he had just hung up on Reborn.

"He's gonna' kick me, or maim me, or eat me, or hiiieee! This isn't good!" he whispered frantically to himself, shaking his head side to side. "I hung up on him!" Tsuna fluttered his eyes shut and decided that succumbing to an anxiety attack in public wasn't going to mollify his already frazzled state. He breathed in and out, placing both of his hands on his still trembling thighs, rubbing his palms over his jeans in soothing strokes. When he felt pacified enough, Tsuna stood up from the bench and trekked down the sidewalk, trailing his gaze along the shops that passed him by.

He couldn't go back home. Tsuna looked up, grimacing at the darkening storm clouds splattered about the sky above. The atmosphere seemed even more gloomier than it had before, and laced with the biting cold and frigid chill of the air, Tsuna could actually feel a very light sprinkle of water flutter past his face.

But still, he couldn't go home, not now, not when Reborn was there.

Tugging at his scarf and wrapping it even tighter around his neck, Tsuna continued onward.


	3. Chapter 3

**Tweekerz:**

**- I'm glad people seem to generally like this. R27 is my absolute favorite pairing, but I've been growing bored with the whole "adult!Reborn" thing. I find it much more angsty and awesome when there's an obstacle ahead, and that obstacle is infant!Reborn. **

**- I haven't written for KHR in a rather long time. My other KHR chapter story, _And Then You Came Back_, is on hiatus. Hah, however, this fic will be finished very soon. **

**- Thanks for the reviews!**

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He was soaking wet.

Rivulets of water poured down his face and collected within the indent formed between the base of his neck and his already drenched scarf. Droplets of water dripped from the jagged ends of his ear, and when he moved, his hair moved with him, water sloshing down his backside. Tsuna shivered as a numbing sensation stole across his body, his face nearly impervious to feeling.

Unfortunately, the weather had rounded upon him. Before he had time to even get to his destination, a local bookstore, Tsuna felt water pelting down from above, and he had realized with dread that it was pouring.

He had slushed his way through the rain with only a flimsy sweater and a scarf, and now the poor teen was eagerly looking up at the front of his house, his body shivering as the frigid cold took a hold of him.

"I made it," he whispered, grimacing when a gust of wind rattled across him. Shaking the sopping strands of his bangs to the side, Tsuna trudged up the pathway and stepped onto the patio. He tried the doorknob, but the lock was stuck fast, and with a heavy sigh, Tsuna rang the doorbell, an action that he had not wanted to take. He didn't want to alert Reborn of his return, after all.

In a matter of seconds, the door was yanked open and he was met with the smiling form of his mother, who took a second to inspect her son, a small frown capturing her lips.

"Tsu-kun, why are you all wet?" she asked timidly, cocking her head.

'_Duh, it's raining_,' Tsuna thought in irritation, rolling his eyes. Of course, he would never voice his thoughts aloud to her. No matter how naïve and foolish his mother could be sometimes, he still loved her very much and didn't want to hurt her feelings in any way.

"Come inside honey and change into some dry clothes!" she smiled and ushered him inside, immediately peeling the soaked scarf from around his neck. He watched her mill about the living room before traipsing into the kitchen, where she let the scarf plop into the sink. "I'll wring out your scarf in a bit. Dinner will be ready in about an hour, 'kay?"

"Um, is Reborn here by any chance?" Tsuna asked meekly.

"Hm, I'm sure he is, 'prolly somewhere around the house. Why sweetie?" his mother asked, plucking a knife from the dish rack. She placed the knife down on the counter and directed herself towards the fridge, rummaging through its contents for a roll of cabbage and various other vegetables.

"O-oh, nothing, just wondering," the teen replied quietly. "Thanks anyway mom, call me when the food's done." He heard her hum at him in response, before she turned from him and began chopping away. Breathing through his nose, Tsuna kicked off his soaked shoes and held them in his hands. He waddled across the living room, drops of water dripping softly behind him as he made his way across. Every time he moved, his jeans would chafe at his thighs and the sensation was wholly unpleasant. Eager to get to his room, Tsuna practically skipped all the way up the stairs and down the hallway, relief welling within him when he anchored his gaze on his bedroom door.

Once inside his room, Tsuna hastily shut the door and threw his shoes on a pile of dirty clothes. He immediately began to unzip his sweater, plucking the article of clothing away from his body and throwing it on top of his shoes. Once done with that, he hauled his T-shirt up and over his head and repeated the action until he was standing nearly naked in his boxers, water still traveling in little streams down his body. His boxers were soaking wet and clung to his hips and thighs rather unpleasantly. A shiver took hold of him, water droplets sliding down his exposed skin.

"Dame-Tsuna, you're all wet."

"HIEE!" Tsuna shrieked, spinning around. He nearly slammed into his drawer at the sight of Reborn sitting casually on the edge of his bed; the Arcobaleno's small little legs crossed one over the other. "R-Reborn."

Reborn merely tilted his head, onyx eyes glittering under the brim of his hat. Tsuna gawked and steadied himself by leaning against his desk drawer, placing his palms at the desk's edge. An uncomfortable silence seemed to permeate the atmosphere, leaving Tsuna shivering in his almost nudity and his mind rampant with all sorts of frantic, incoherent thoughts.

This was too fast, this was all too fast. He wasn't prepared to even face Reborn, and yet here he was, trembling in his boxers and at a loss of what to say. This was all kinds of awkward—Tsuna had royally screwed things up by becoming flustered and unsettled at Reborn at the café, and he had even hung up on his tutor for no reason other than he was nervous and it had been a knee-jerk reaction.

And so he stood there, his mouth hanging open as he tried to get a firm hold on his thoughts. Why wasn't Reborn saying anything, why wasn't the hitman doing anything, because by all means, the tutor should have had a gun out by now, the barrel staring Tsuna in the face? The teen felt as if his throat had dried up and he wondered if he would ever be able to speak again.

"Close your mouth, idiot."

Tsuna yipped and promptly shut his mouth. Trust Reborn to break the silence. Tsuna gulped and shifted awkwardly on his feet, staring up at his tutor through the dripping wet curtain of his bangs.

"You've been out of sorts," Reborn continued, that bizarre smile quirked across his lips. "I've taught you better, Baka-Tsuna."

Tsuna flinched at the insult, his honey-colored eyes averting to the floor. Why didn't Reborn ever just call him by his name? Was that too much to ask? It was rather simple, all the hitman had to do was either call him Tsuna or Sawada; either would do perfectly fine. Was his name even registered in Reborn's vocabulary anyway? And so what if Tsuna had been out of sorts lately—it didn't affect him any in his training, he still had power, he still had his dying will, and he sure as heck still had the safety of his family.

Why was Reborn always making this so hard?

Tsuna felt the recognizable flame of fury and frustration licking at his insides, fueling the haze he was currently lost within. He felt like lashing out at his tutor who was sitting so nonchalantly in front of him, as if the hitman hadn't a care in the world. Tsuna felt like spewing all sorts of insults and protest at him, _**complaints,**_ Tsuna realized. So then, why weren't they coming out? Why did his lips refuse to part?

Oh, right, Tsuna was in…l-love with the hitman. No matter how many times Reborn spat insults at the teen, Tsuna would never reciprocate. His heart would ache too much if he did that.

Tsuna made the difficult decision to turn away. He could feel his insides practically bursting at the seams, could feel all those unspoken words nearly dart out his mouth, however he cast all those emotions aside until they had subsided enough for him to **get a grip**.

He leaned forward against his desk and opened up one of the drawers, shuffling through its contents for a fresh pair of boxers and a cotton nightshirt. Once drawing the articles of clothing into his arms, Tsuna briefly let his gaze linger on Reborn's, before he slowly trotted across the room towards his door. He placed his hand on the knob, hesitated for a split second, then opened it and stepped out into the hall. He thanked whatever God out there that Reborn hadn't decided to shoot him on the spot.

He trudged through the corridor, hugging the dry set of clothes to his chest. He was mentally collapsing. He couldn't believe he had just done that, he couldn't believe he had just turned away from Reborn. He had dismissed himself, and in such a spontaneous fashion! It had been an impulsive action, something he was starting to regret as he got closer to his destination: the bathroom. He could practically feel Reborn's stare stabbing into his back, cutting so deep that he could feel his insides sting. His teeth were chattering and his eyes were darting back and forth—oh yes, he was surely a dead man.

_Please God, make my death quick and painless._

He shuffled into the bathroom and shut the door behind him, immediately setting to work on his drenched boxers. Once shimmying the soaked undergarments off, he quickly pulled on the dry set of boxers and hauled the white nightshirt over his head. His hair was still wet, but not as damp as it had been when he had been downstairs. The soaked, layered strands were starting to fluff, but the ends were still wet enough to make the strands clump together. Tsuna ran a shaky hand through his hair and sighed. He knelt down and picked up his wet boxers and threw them into the bathtub—he'd worry about them later, either that, or his mother would discover them soon enough and do away with them.

Breathing deeply, Tsuna opened the bathroom door and warily stepped out into the hall. He looked both directions, coasting the premise until he deemed it safe enough to continue forward. He knew Reborn was a stealthy person, the kind of person that could easily sneak up on you if you weren't paying attention.

And suddenly, he was seeing stars. A horrendous ache throbbed in the back of his skull and he was sent crashing to the floor, landing face first into the carpet. Shrieking, Tsuna clutched at his head and flopped over, writhing and rolling along the carpet all the while nursing his head.

"There's a wet spot in your room, clean it up, Dame-Tsuna."

Reborn disappeared down the stairs, and Tsuna sobbed miserably on the ground.

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** -Short, I know. Reborn only communicates using violence. Hah! Please leave a review!**

**-Sorry if I may come off as dissing Nana. She really annoys me- no one could be that stupid, but then again, this is all an anime and totally fictional. Okay, I'm cool now.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Tweekerz Says:**  
**- Uhhhh.**

**

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_"Won't you come on over? Stop making a fool out of me."_ -** Amy Winehouse, Valerie.**

Tsuna sat at the far end of the dinner table, his hand gently pressing a cold compress to the back of his head. After spending some time in the freezer, the once gelatinous bag felt firm and hard against his head, but in a couple of hours it would eventually melt and turn slack. His mother had wrapped some paper towels around the compress, acting as a shield to keep the freezing packet from numbing his fingers.

Since he didn't particularly feel like eating with chopsticks this time around, he picked up a fork with his free hand and began poking around his plate, prodding at the neat pile of steamed vegetables that huddled around a mountain of white rice. He realized he was grumbling under his breath, uttering a plethora of muttered curses and a slew of scathing phrases, however, he was too much of a coward to say them aloud, especially when Reborn was sitting at the opposite end of the table.

The infantile hitman wasn't paying attention to him. He hadn't even looked at Tsuna when the teen came trudging down the staircase, all the while letting pathetic whines and moans seep from his throat. At the time, his head felt like it had split in two. A sweltering ache laced across the back of his head and stretched to his eyes, but now it only seemed to throb, the cold compress having done wonders. The ache had drastically lessened, and at least now he could sit up straight without pain bursting behind his eyes.

He had to admit, Reborn's kick had definitely laid a number on him. Never had the Arcobaleno's kicks to the head hurt this much, and Tsuna was beginning to wonder if his skull was already at its limit.

Digging his fork through his plate, he hastily stabbed at a sliver of meat and dunked it into a small saucer of Ponzu* sauce. He then brought it to his mouth and chewed, his eyes fluttering as the citrus tang of the sauce slid down his throat. He continued to prod around his plate half heartedly, occasionally wincing when he pressed a little too hard at his head.

"Mmm, mama, this is good!" Lambo shouted, smashing his face into his paper plate. Sticky white rice grains stuck to his hair and cow suit, making him look like he had just rolled around in a giant vat of packaging foam. Tsuna grimaced at the sight, while his mother only giggled and went about finishing her meal.

"Hey, where's I-Pin?" Tsuna queried, sticking a carrot into his mouth. He was starting to wonder why the dinner table lacked a certain amount of energy, something the little egg-head always seemed to exude.

"She's at Haru's spending the night!" Nana replied happily. Well, that explained Haru's presence this morning. Sort of.

"So, Tsuuuu~na!" his mother continued, swiping her mouth with a napkin. "How was your day today?"

Tsuna nearly choked on his piece of meat. He quickly swallowed down the chewed food and set his fork down, wiping his fingers on the place mat underneath his plate.

"Uhh, it was good," he lied, adding pressure to the compress at his head. He just had to lie to her, that's all. He couldn't tell her the truth, not when Reborn was sitting just a couple of feet away, casually bringing a pair of toddler-sized chopsticks to his mouth. Maybe if Tsuna just put this whole dilemma behind him, he could avoid it and pretend it never happened. He wouldn't be able to completely vanquish his feelings for Reborn, but he could at least push them aside, right?

"You stayed out for quite some time, where did you go?" his mother inquired, bringing a piece of brocoli to her lips.

"He went to a cafe."

Tsuna jerked his head and gaped across the table. Reborn was busy sipping at a steaming cup of coffee, setting the cup down gently beside his plate. Tsuna mentally scowled; Reborn was smiling at him. That jerk, the nerve of- oh wait, he always smiled like that...nevermind.

"Oh, a cafe! That trendy one close by?" Nana queried, tilting her head. "They have the most delicious chocolate espresso there!"

Tsuna was too busy gaping at Reborn to contribute to the conversation. The Arcobaleno was pointedly not meeting his gaze, the hitman's onyx eyes trained on Nana. Reborn was ignoring him!

Tsuna felt his left eye twitch, either out of agitation or nervousness, he didn't know which. He felt a fiery burning sensation in his chest, as if about to hiccup, but it was merely the adrenaline coursing through his veins. If Reborn wanted to play that way, then so be it.

'I can't believe I'm gonna' do this, oh God, oh God,' Tsuna mentally shrieked, his fingers gouging into the still frozen surface of the compress. 'Here it goes.'

He took a deep breath. Oh no, maybe he shouldn't do this. Maybe he should just- .

"Y-yeah, it was a nice place," Tsuna quipped, schooling his voice. He tried to sound as cheerful as possible, and his mother might have bought the charade, but he knew Reborn didn't. "I might go again tomorrow."

This seemed to get Reborn's attention. The hitman's head tilted just slightly, beady eyes momentarily hidden from view beneath the brim of his fedora.

"That's lovely dear!" Nana sing-songed. "Will you be going with your friends?"

This was it- this was the make or break moment. He had to say it, he just had to. He had to get back at Reborn, not only for the physical abuse, but for messing with his already muddled feelings. But what if everything went horribly wrong? He shouldn't be doing this- playing Reborn at his own game. The hitman was violent and never considered sympathy a quality for success, let alone life. Did Reborn even have sympathy? Tsuna would guess that no, maybe the Arcobaleno didn't, because after all, he was a hitman right? So what was Tsuna doing sitting at the dinner table about to make the situation ten times worse? Reborn's gonna' murder me, he thought frantically, his body trembling at the implications. I'm gonna' be waking up to a barrage of bullets instead of my alarm clock. Hieeee!

He should stop now while he still had the chance! His lips felt like they were on auto pilot though, moving, or in this instance, flapping of their own accord, and then there it was: the dreaded word vomit.

"I sort of met someone there today," Tsuna blurted. He widened his eyes and mentally shot himself. The teen avoided looking across at Reborn. Oh, how he wanted to gauge the reaction on the infant's face, but he was too frightened to.

Nana blushed and grinned knowingly behind her hand, staring at her son with imploring hazel eyes. "Ohhh, is this a special someone Tsu-kun?"

A lengthy pause took place, and he answered with a firm, "Yes."

"Was this person cute?" she asked hastily, nearly leering over the table.

"V-very cute," Tsuna choked. Finally, Tsuna broke his mother's gaze and glimpsed across the table. "Hot, even."

Tsuna nearly melted in his seat. Reborn was staring directly at him, charcoal eyes nearly stabbing into him. For once, and Tsuna nearly cried out in alarm at the observation; there was a small lilt to Reborn's smile, as though it were terribly forced.

Not noticing the thickening tension, Nana nearly squealed in her seat, her face flushing red. She sprang from her chair and pranced dramatically over to her blushing son, wrapping an arm around him.

"Oh my Tsu-kun, you're becoming a man!" she gushed, placing a kiss at his temple. She cupped his face with her hand, squeezing his cheeks. Her eyes were sparkling. "I thoroughly approve of this meeting! If only your father were here!"

Nana twirled away from him and began stacking empty cups and serving plates. She skipped towards the kitchen, a wobbly stack of kitchen-ware swaying dangerously in her arms.

"I expect to have grandchildren by this time tomorrow!" she sung from the kitchen.

Tsuna sputtered on his water.

"Just kidding Tsu-kun!" she finished with a small laugh.

Tsuna regained his breath and dabbed at his mouth with a napkin. Turning his head, he nearly gasped when he found Lambo staring at him with wide eyes from his booster seat, his little nose quivering.

"Uhh, what?" Tsuna questioned.

"Tsuna has a boyfran' now?" Lambo shrieked, slapping the palm of his hand into a saucer of Ponzu sauce. He continued to slap away, all the while gazing at Tsuna creepily.

Meanwhile, Tsuna nearly facetabled. His face flushed to a whole new shade of red and the teen was left opening and closing his mouth like a blubbering fish. Was...was Lambo that perceptive? Impossible! The child was a complete moron! And why boyfriend?

"Ack!" Tsuna groaned when a bit of sauce splattered along his cheek. Lambo halted and stared at the stain on the teen's face- he laughed and continued splashing away. Tsuna scooted his chair as far away as he could, wiping at his face with his arm. His wrist came away sticky and wet and he stealthily wiped it off on the table cloth. Not knowing what else to do, Tsuna picked at the leftover pieces of seared meat that were spread sporadically about his plate.

The tension was incredibly thick, so thick you could practically slice into it. Tsuna felt completely awkward just fidgeting in his seat while he poked and prodded at his food, Lambo's shrieks of delight acting as white noise in the background. Once or twice he caught a glimpse at Reborn, who was casually bringing a cup of coffee to his lips, not even making a sound as he leisurely sipped at the hot beverage.

Tsuna wished he could be as collected as the hitman was. Tsuna had always been a skiddish little thing since he was small, the type of child who was afraid of his own shadow and always acted outrageously shy towards strangers, his grandparents included. He would even cry at those people who dressed up as beloved cartoon characters at amusement parks, the ones with the vibrant outfits and furry suits.

Why couldn't he be one of those ordinary, outgoing kids that laughed without reserve and willingly hugged life-sized Doraemons, Domo-kuns, and Mickey Mice? He was born shy and skiddish, and had grown up to be roughly the same, though there was one major difference: he was the 10th Vongola Don of a mafia family hailing from Italy. What the heck? Who does that?

Apparently I do, he thought morosely.

'_Argh, this sucks, this sucks, this sucks_,' he whined, stabbing his fork into a piece of broccoli. Why did things have to be so awkward? Why did he have to dig himself into an even deeper hole? And why did he have to have these stupid, stupid feelings for that...that stupid hitman sitting across the table?

"We're playing a game tomorrow."

Tsuna dropped his fork and flinched, peering through the still wet strands of his bangs. Even the mention of Reborn's ridiculously violent games sent shivers running down his spine. He wasn't expecting Reborn to even speak to him.

"I wasn't...a-aware of that," Tsuna whispered, fiddling with the triangular tip of his napkin. He averted his eyes and stared at Lambo instead. Lambo stared back at him with his mouth open, snot dripping from his nose. Gross...

"It's a recent development," Reborn quipped, setting his cup on the table. Tsuna widened his eyes, indignation rising within him. So does that mean it was last-minute? Spontaneous? Did any of this have to do with the fact that Tsuna had mentioned going out tomorrow? He frowned and immediately shot from his seat.

"That's not fair- !"

At the click of a gun, Tsuna immediately left the protest dying on his tongue and plopped to his chair. He was staring down the barrel of a pistol. Reborn continued to deftly sip at his coffee with his other hand, clearly disinterested at Tsuna's instant change of face.

"Be ready and dressed by ten tomorrow morning," the hitman added, lowering his gun. Taking one last biteful of rice, Reborn set his chopsticks on his paper plate. At that exact moment, Nana came rushing in, all smiles and blushes, and quickly gathered up the remaining dishes. When she passed by Tsuna, she winked at him and turned on her heels, humming a merry little tune under her breath.

When Tsuna looked back across the table, Reborn had vanished.

* * *

**Tweekerz Says:**  
**- Make him jealous Tsuna! With your dying will!**

***Ponzu sauce is REALLY DELICIOUS. Holy crap. It might even beat my love for A1 Steak Sauce.**

**- Review! Rapido, rapido, review! That's what my neighbor says to her children!**  
**- ...not the review part...**


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